
4 ResouRces and development
technology to do so. That is why human
beings are a special resource. People
are human resources. Education and
health help in making people a valuable
resource. Improving the quality of
people’s skills so that they are able
to create more resources is known as
human resource development.
conseRving ResouRces
Mona had a nightmare. She dreamt that all
the water on the earth had dried up and all the
trees cut down. There was no shade and nothing to
eat or drink. People were suffering and roaming around
desperately looking for food and shade.
She told her mother about the dream. “Amma can this
really happen?” she asked.
“Yes,” Amma replied. “If we are not careful then even
renewable resources can become very scarce and the
non-renewable ones can definitely get exhausted”. “What
can we do about it,” Raju asked. “Lots,” replied Amma.
Using resources carefully and giving them time to get
renewed is called resource conservation. Balancing
the need to use resources and also conserve them for
the future is called sustainable development. There
are many ways of conserving resources. Each person
can contribute by reducing consumption, recycling and
reusing thing. Ultimately it makes a difference because
all our lives are linked.
That evening the children and their friends
made packets and shopping bags out of old
newspapers, discarded clothes and baskets
from bamboo sticks. “We will give a few to every
family we know,” said Mona. “After all it is for
a very good cause,” said Mustafa, “To save our
resources and to keep our earth alive”.
“I am going to be very careful not to waste
paper,” said Jessy. “Many trees are cut down to
make paper,” she explained.
“I will see that electricity is not wasted in
my house,” shouted Mustafa. “Electricity comes
from water and coal.”
Glossary
Sustainable
Development
Carefully utilising
resources so that
besides meeting
the requirements
of the present, also
takes care of future
generations.
Chapter-1.indd 4 8/17/2022 11:34:44 AM